Portable laundry-basket.



J. HARRIS.

PORTABLE LAUNDRY BASKET.

APPLICATION :FILED SEPT. 27, 19121 Patented Deo; 23, 1913.

JANE Hamers, or GERMANTDWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

PORTABLE LAUNDRY-BASKET.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented D'ec. 23, 1913.

Application led September 27, 1912. Serial No. 722,697.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it Aknown that I, J ANE HAnnIsna c1tizen of the IUnited States,residing at Germantown,v in .the county of Philadelphia and Stateof-Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPortable Laundry-Baskets, of which the followingis a specification. o

This invention relates to improvements in laundry baskets, andvparticularly to the portable type, the essential object in view 1 beingthe facilitating of handling and transportingvof a clothes container.

.With this 'and further objects in view, as

will in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated, theinvention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts, as herein specified and claimed. y l I In theaccompanying drawings Figure ,1 is a view in sideelevation of a `laundrybasket embodying the features 0f the present invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section therethrough, taken on the plane indicated by line 22 of Fig. l, and looking downwardly. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view ofthe basket detached. Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the parts seen inFig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail fragmentary sections, the former beingtaken substantially on the line of the axis of the pivot of one arm ofthe handle, and the latter just at one side of one of the angle pieces.Fig. 7 is an enlarged det-ail section through the housing of one of theretainer hooks, the hook and contiguous parts being seen in elevation.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a basket body of anypreferred type and construction having the cover 2 preferably pivotedthereto. A partition 3 divides the container comprising said basket bodyinto receptacles for diiierent articles,'

as for instance, the larger receptacle for clothing, and the smallerreceptacle for pins or other auxiliary apparatus. Attached to the bottomof the basket body 1 are the casters 4, 4 adapted at times to sustainthe basket body whenit is being moved about the floor of a room orotherwise when the basket is to be moved onl a short distance. Anglepieces 5, 5 are fixe to the body 1 and each has one arm extendintransversely of and fixed to the bottom of t e body, and the other armupstanding, at one side of the body, as clearly seen in Fig. 6. Theupper` end of the vups'tandi portion of each angle plate 5 is formed witan outwardly-turned end portiop or ilange 6 apertured to form an eye Thebasket body 1 is detachably mounted in a `frame 8 shaped preferably toconform to the contour of the basket body and having lower longitudinalside -strips 8,.8, preferably of T-irons, or other T-material. Fixed tothe side strips 8" and extendin beneath the' same is an axle 9 Whose ens extend beyond. the sides of the frame 8 and are sustained bysupporting wheels 10, 10. At the front of the frame 8, caster brackets11, 11 are fixed to and extend downwardly and forwardly from the frame,and each is provided with a stub shaft or axle 12 mounted on the wheel13, the wheels 13 being preferably of less diameter than wheels 10.

y Mounted on each side strip 8', are h'ousings 14, 14 which arepreferably bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the respectivestrips, a housing 14 being arranged adjacent each of the angle plates 5.Longitudinally movably mounted in each housing 14 is a plunger 15engaged within the housing by a spring 16 tensioned to press the plungerdownwardly, the upper end of the plunger being turned to form a hook 17.Each hook 17 is adapted to engage the respective eye 7 of the adjacentplate 5. Upstanding from each hook 17 is an operating eye 18 adapted tobe grasped for manual manipulation of the hook.

A handle 19 is provided and formed with arms 20, 20 extending on theopposite sides of the basket body 1, the lower ends of the arms 20 beingpreferably pivoted to the vertical,l upstanding -web of the respectiveT- irons, 8', eachV of the said lower ends of the arms 20 being spacedfrom said web by a filler block 20', and being guarded byan upstandingflange 20" extending from the respective strip 8 on the outside of therespective arm. A brace 21 is arranged at each side of the basket body 1and has its lowerend resting pivotally in a socket 22, the upper endof'each brace 21 being bifurcated, as at 23 to receive the respectivecontiguous arm 20, the arm 20 being detachably connected to saidbifurcated end by a. pin 24 passed through the arms of the'bifurcationand through'the respective arm 20. Pin 24 may be retained against lossby a connecting chain 25 which is attached to the respective pin 24C andto the corresponding brace 2l.

In operation, the parts are normally in the condition illustrated inFig. l, wherein the basket body l is disposed within the framing 8 inposition for resting 4on the inwardly extending flanges of the lowerstrips of framing 8, and being retained in place thereon by the hooks 17engaging the eyes 7, the handle being in the position indicated with thearms Q() engaging the braces 2l. ln this condition, movement of thebasket from place to place as when it is being moved about a lawn, isfacilitated. Whenever it is desired to move the basket about a room, thebasket body is preferably removed from the framing 8 by swinging thearms 20 forwardly until they arrive in a horizontal position, the pins24 having been removed before the swinging movement began. After thismovement of the arms 20, the hooks 17 are elevated and swung to one sideout of engagement, and the basket body l may be elevated directly out ofthe framing 8 until entirely free thereof, and may' then be deposited onthe floor in position for resting upon the casters 4 Awhich constituteeiicient means for enabling free movement of the basket body.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

rlhe combination with a basket body, of a framing sustaining the same,wheels supporting said framing, a handle having arms pivotally engagingthe framing and disposed at opposite sides thereof, an inclined bracedisposed at each side of the framing, a socket on the framing for eachof the braces adapted to receive the lower end of the respective brace,the upper end of each braoe being bifurcated for receiving therespective arm of the handle between the arms of the bifurcation, thearms of the bifurcations and 'the arms of the handle being apertured,and a locking pin for each brace adapted to detachably extend throughthe apertures for locking the handle to the brace.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JANE HRRlS.

lVitnesses GEORGE lV. Drains, ERNEST DE La Snlnrni.

